Only 4 of 37 attorneys-general in Nigeria are female – IBA

International Bar Association (IBA) has called for the urgent fixing of gender disparity in Nigeria’s legal profession.

A new study by its Legal Policy & Research Unit (LPRU) reveals a dearth of women in senior positions in the judiciary, with only four out of 37 attorneys-general females.

The data for the “50:50 by 2030: A longitudinal study into gender disparity in law – Nigeria Results Report”, shows women make up 40 percent of all lawyers.

It found that the country’s public sector has the highest representation of women in top positions – 61 percent, followed by the corporate sector – 55 percent.

However, law firms have the second lowest number of women in senior roles – 43 percent, behind the judiciary – 33 percent.

Reacting, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President, Yakubu Maikyau restated the body’s position that to achieve global transformative change; equality issues must be prioritised.

The Senior Advocate promised NBA’s support for the IBA and LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation “50:50 by 2030 Gender Project he called “innovative and unprecedented”.

“It has been shown empirically that any limitation on the capacity and capability of a woman is but a product of artificial imagination which is totally unjustifiable,” he said.

Maikyau urged legal practitioners to learn from the data in the report and become champions of the change the people of Nigeria want to see.

The president also implored bar associations and law societies to fully support the project when the spotlight is turned towards their jurisdictions.